Checked 16 October 2026
Where the facts about Moqhaka come from
Every fact on the Moqhaka page, with the sources we used. We save a copy of each source on the day we read it.
Which party controls the council?
Dated reports
As of 21 May 2026: OFM wrote an article on changes to Free State council leaders that the ANC ordered. OFM reported that Ramasimong Tau was elected as the new mayor of Moqhaka. Tau replaced Motloheloa Ellis Mokatsane, who stepped down in April.
OFM. Published 21 May 2026.
Where to look: paragraph 2 (Moqhaka in the list of municipalities where the ANC ordered troika members to step down) and paragraph 9 (Tau's election); Tau's party is not stated
As of 9 May 2026: On 7 May 2026 Moqhaka held a special council meeting. There, Ramasimong Tau was elected mayor. Tau replaced Motloheloa Ellis Mokatsane, who stepped down in April. Reports say the ANC provincial leaders told some mayors to step down. The reports say Mokatsane was one of them.
OFM. Published 9 May 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 2 and 4
As of 7 May 2026: Ramasimong Tau was elected mayor of Moqhaka at a special council meeting on 7 May 2026. Nthabiseng Magengenene was elected speaker, with all votes in favour.
OFM. Published 9 May 2026.
Where to look: paragraph 2 (party not stated)
As of 22 Apr 2026: Moqhaka mayor Motloheloa Mokatsane and speaker Selloane Khiba resigned in April 2026. A council meeting was called for 22 April 2026 to elect new leaders.
Daily Sun. Published 22 April 2026.
Where to look: paragraphs 3-5 (mayor's resignation confirmed 20 April), 8-9 (speaker resigned 17 April), 13 (council meeting 22 April)
As of 1 Nov 2025: Motloheloa Ellis Mokatsane was mayor of Moqhaka Local Municipality in November 2025. The speaker was Selloane Victoria Khiba.
Free State COGTA. Page is undated.
Where to look: Moqhaka (FS 201) row: Mayor/Executive Mayor 'Motloheloa Ellis Mokatsane', Speaker 'Selloane Victoria Khiba'; header 'NOVEMBER 2025' (no day given)
As of 18 Sep 2025: IOL reported an ANC letter saying Toy Mokatsane, mayor of Moqhaka, had not handed in a resignation as the party told him to. The ANC letter said he refused and was suspended.
IOL. Published 18 September 2025.
Where to look: paragraphs 6-9 (as reported from the ANC letter; not independently confirmed)
As of 22 Aug 2025: In August 2025 the ANC in the Free State spoke about these councils. It said it would redeploy their mayors, speakers and chief whips. To redeploy is to move someone to a different post. A chief whip is the councillor who keeps a party's members voting together. The councils are Mafube, Moqhaka, Letsemeng, Nketoana, Nala, Masilonyana and Lejweleputswa.
IOL. Published 22 August 2025.
Where to look: paragraph 1
As of 24 Jul 2025: Parliament made a list for Moqhaka Local Municipality in July 2025. This was during a joint oversight visit (a visit to check on the council). It listed 'Mayor - Cllr Mokatsane' and 'Speaker - Cllr Khiba'.
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. Published 24 July 2025.
Where to look: 'Engagement with Moqhaka Local Municipality' item
As of 9 Nov 2021: Ramasimong Tau was elected to the Moqhaka council in 2021. Tau was the ANC ward councillor for ward 1.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: Free State, FS201 - Moqhaka, AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS, ward 42001001, TAU RAMASIMONG DANIEL
How were the seats split?
The 2021 result
Who won the 44 seats in 2021.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Page is undated.
Where to look: p. 1 of 2, seat table, Total Party Seats column
Every party
The seats now, by party (ward seats and party seats). African National Congress: 22 (19 ward, 3 party). Democratic Alliance: 10 (3 ward, 7 party). Economic Freedom Fighters: 5 (0 ward, 5 party). Moqhaka Community Forum: 3 (0 ward, 3 party). Freedom Front Plus: 3 (0 ward, 3 party). Power of Africans Unity: 1 (0 ward, 1 party).
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: winning party per ward for every by-election since 2021 (dashboard data files: MapsJason/2021/ByElections.js and LoadCouncillorsService); read 2026-10-18
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: ward councillor rows for this council (party per ward elected in 2021)
The seats now
Who holds the 44 seats now, counted up to 24 Jun 2026. How we count: This is our own count, not an official IEC table. We start with the 2021 party seats from the IEC. Then we add the party that last won each ward, in 2021 or in a by-election. Party seats stay with their party, and councillors can't switch parties. So only ward by-elections change these totals. An empty seat is counted with the party that last held it. The IEC lists by-elections on 5 Oct 2022, but it does not show who won them. So any ward that changed hands that day is not counted.
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: winning party per ward for every by-election since 2021 (dashboard data files: MapsJason/2021/ByElections.js and LoadCouncillorsService); read 2026-10-18
Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). Published 9 November 2021.
Where to look: ward councillor rows for this council (party per ward elected in 2021)
What the official records say
Audit result
The Auditor-General gave Moqhaka a qualified audit opinion for 2024-25. It got the same result in 2023-24.
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: 'Audit outcome for 2024-25' box and the change from 2023-24 under it (audit of separate financial statements, finalised by 30 April 2026)
Doubt it can pay its bills
The Auditor-General found a going concern uncertainty at Moqhaka in 2024-25, for the 10th year in a row.
Auditor-General of South Africa. Published 24 June 2026.
Where to look: p. 50 (PDF page 54), 'Sixty-two municipalities with going concern uncertainty and consecutive years in this position', Free State, 'Moqhaka LM' row; p. 49 explains the measure
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